Opposite Sides of the Fence
by Dalakh
Summary: We know nothing of Brennan's past, so here's a blast from it.
1. Chapter One

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: I own squat when it comes down to Mutant X, I do own my own characters and plot ideas however, so ha ha.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: This idea has been knocking around in my head for a while so here goes the first chapter… sorry its so short! Please read and review because I LOVE feedback (good or bad) and this is my first Mutant X fic so wish me luck!  
  
*  
  
Brennan and Shalimar lay on opposite ends of a sofa, each with a bag of popcorn as did Emma and Jesse in the 'Rec room at Sanctuary having a very mature conversation about which was better –action movies or romance movies.  
  
"C'mon –romance is all sloppy, how could you like that?" Brennan complained as he threw a piece of popcorn at Shalimar, "Action is so much cooler, people are getting blown up and still there's a gorgeous girl in it."  
  
Emma pulled a face with Shalimar, "Romance is about the trials of love, and it always has a decent guy in it." She said bluntly,  
  
"The only thing Romance puts on trial is my boredom threshold." Jesse said, dodging a handful of popcorn Emma had hurled at him.  
  
"Is that so?" Emma lent forward, looking Jesse square in the eyes even though they were seated on different sofas.  
  
Adam came into the Rec room and held back a laugh upon seeing the four adults amidst a popcorn covered floor and apparently having a heated discussion over which movie they would be renting tonight. "Alright guys, I hate to break this up but I need you to go and get a new mutant who the GSA are after, she should be somewhere in the downtown area if my sources are right, she goes by Piper-Lee and be careful not to frighten her; she's not in total control of her powers yet."  
  
Brennan looked up, "Piper-Lee? As in Lee l-e-e?"  
  
Emma glanced at Brennan as if she had just noticed something but said nothing.  
  
"Yeah, why?" said Adam  
  
Brennan jumped up off the sofa he had been sitting on with Shalimar, "No reason, what's her mutation?"  
  
"Water Elemental, but I don't know to what extent," the group got up and headed towards the hanger, Emma stayed a few paces behind to talk to Adam,  
  
"He's worried about something," she said, picking up her jacket.  
  
Adam raised an eyebrow,  
  
"About what?"  
  
"I don't know, but when you said Piper-Lee it started to practically come of him in waves.  
  
"Okay, I'll remember that –you better go catch up with the others before they leave without you." He patted her back and she left for the Double Helix, leaving Adam to ponder what she had said.  
  
  
  
Post Authors Note: Once again –sorry for the shortness! Good/bad? Love/hate? TELL ME! Pleeeease? I love all kinds of reviews except Flames; any that I get will be used to light the fire beneath the Mason Eckharts arse. 


	2. Chapter Two

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: see first chapter.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: Oooo –I got reviews!! Thank you Jaime (), Ms. Perception, and Quest! Well here's the second chapter… still kinda short but it's longer than the first chapter. Please review!  
  
*  
  
After arriving at the area Adam had suggested Shalimar and Jesse took the North and East while Brennan and Emma took the South and West, two hours later they regrouped at the Double Helix empty-handed.  
  
"We've looked everywhere Adam, we can't find her," Shalimar spoke into her ring  
  
"Alright, come back and we can try again later -"  
  
Brennan cut his reply off short, "Wait, I think I know where we haven't checked, C'mon!"  
  
"Where?" asked Emma, but Brennan didn't answer, he'd run back towards the city, "Should we follow him? How does he know what he's looking for Adam? You never gave us a description." Emma remembered as she, Jesse and Shalimar started after their friend.  
  
"Yes follow him, and that's a good point Emma, and truth is I don't know much about her other than her mutation and her age –for some reason there's no picture of her in the database,"  
  
"How old is she Adam?" asked Shalimar  
  
"Thirteen."  
  
"Thirteen?" exclaimed Jesse as they twisted around a corner, struggling to keep Brennan in sight through all the people, "Isn't that a bit young for the GSA to be after her?"  
  
"Perhaps Eckhart has a new policy of catch-them-while-they're-young; like Hitler?" Emma suggested,  
  
"Could be." Adam agreed.  
  
"What's in there?" said Shalimar, Brennan had stopped outside a building just long enough for them to catch up,  
  
"It's a Martial Arts studio," he said shortly,  
  
"And?"  
  
"Forgot to check here," Brennan pushed the doors open, leading the way in to a reception painted in something reminiscent of an oriental design, with a water feature in one corner of what looked to be a waiting area, symbols on the walls which were probably Japanese and the walls themselves painted browns, whites and blacks. Brennan walked up to the desk where a man was looking at a computer screen, "You do martial arts here right?"  
  
The man looked up, "Yes, are you looking to learn one?"  
  
Brennan shook his head, "No, my niece has a friend that takes a class but she couldn't remember which place her friend took it at."  
  
"I'm sorry, we're not at liberty to give out information about our students."  
  
Brennan frowned and looked at the others, exasperated,  
  
"Please –Katie really wants to take it up but she doesn't want to do it on her own, her friends name is Piper-Lee; one word with Lee spelt l-e-e, could you just look it up for me? Think of it like this –you'll be getting another student, which means more money if this is the place."  
  
The man looked behind Brennan to Jesse, Shalimar and Emma, the latter of which gave him a little telempathic encouragement; finally he gave in,  
  
"Okay," he typed a few words on his keyboard, "How old is she?"  
  
Brennan paused, "Thirteen I think,"  
  
Behind him Emma, Jesse and Shalimar exchanged a look, Brennan had been running in front of them when Adam had told them Piper-Lee's age and couldn't have heard –so how did he know?  
  
The man typed a for a bit longer before making a triumphant sort of noise, "Piper-Lee, yes she's in a quite a few classes -"  
  
"Could you tell me which ones?"  
  
"Well… alright, Kick-Boxing, Judo, Tae Kwon Doe, Aikido and it looks like she's be starting Kung-Fu in a week –quite the fighter, which ones are your niece interested in?"  
  
Brennan stared at the man before recovering himself, "I don't know I'll have to ask her, is Piper-Lee here now?"  
  
"That I can't tell you, but there is a class of Judo on right now."  
  
"Thanks, I think we'll go and watch to see if Katie might like it." Brennan left the desk and motioned for the rest of the group to follow him up a staircase that, according to the sign, led to the studios. Once they were out of earshot Shalimar cornered Brennan,  
  
"Niece's and Katie?"  
  
Brennan shrugged, "It was the first name that came to my head, besides its worked didn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, but that's not what I don't get," added Emma, "How did you know Piper-Lee was thirteen? You were in-front when Adam told us."  
  
Brennan shrugged again, but Emma felt a brief second of raw panic flash through him, "Hey, don't knock luck when it buys you the answers ya want,"  
  
Jesse smirked, Shalimar glanced at him and Emma pulled a face –he was lying, but she didn't call him on it, not yet; they had a mission to finish first. At the second floor it said  
  
'Judo moved to fourth floor'  
  
"Great, two more floors." Jesse sighed.  
  
Finally they reached the Judo studio, inside were a group of kids ranging from, what Jesse would guess, fifteen to seventeen –this couldn't be the right class.  
  
"Are we sure that the reception guy wasn't just messing with you?" he asked,  
  
"Positive," Brennan inched the door open and crept inside; the class turned around and the instructor at the front looked up at the intrusion,  
  
"May we help you?"  
  
This time Emma spoke up, "Yes, we're looking for Piper-Lee?"  
  
A girl at the front stared at the four new adults, they appeared harmless enough, but looks can be deceiving she reminded herself.  
  
"Why?" asked the instructor  
  
"We just want to ask her something about the classes she's taking."  
  
The girl shared a look with her surrounding classmates and stepped forward, "I'm Piper-Lee, what do ya want?"  
  
Emma smiled at her, "We -"  
  
Eight GSA agents striding in through another door behind the instructor interrupted her; they knocked the instructor unconscious with an electric- hand before he could say anything.  
  
"We have to get you out of here." Brennan walked up to Piper-Lee and pulled her in front of him as they ran out of the studio and down the stairs, the GSA hot on their heels.  
  
Out in the street Emma led the way, winding through people this way and that; soon the GSA were left behind wondering which way Mutant X had gone.  
  
At the cloaked Double Helix they halted and the girl finally got a good look at the man who had pulled her away from the electric-hand people, she stared for a few seconds, mouth agape, before she finally managed to force out a word.  
  
"Brennan?"  
  
*  
  
Post Authors Note: Hopefully it just got a little more interesting, hopefully. PLEASE REVIEW!!! Pretty please? With icing and a cherry on top? Pleeeease? Yet again I love all kinds of reviews except Flames; any that I get will be used to light the fire beneath the Mason Eckharts arse. 


	3. Chapter Three

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: see first chapter.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: Yay, more reviews! A BIG thank you to (here goes, sorry if I forget) Clez, Penny, ms. perception, bigfatcat (), ria (), and Maggie ().  
  
Now, it's not quite as long as the second chapter, but it IS longer than the first, kay? I had writers block (still do actually) so if this is a bit, err, -lousy- I blame it on that and the dread of having to go to school tomorrow, easter hols are over :'(  
  
Anywayz, please review!!  
  
*  
  
Piper-Lee continued to stare at the man before her; this couldn't be Brennan, could it?  
  
"Brennan?" she repeated, louder than the first because she was being herded onto a jet of some-sort. This time the man looked at her and she saw it in his eyes before he said it aloud,  
  
"Yeah it's Brennan," he paused, and glanced what would be nervously at the other three people on the plane, "it's me."  
  
Piper-Lee took a good look at him, he was still tall, he still had brown hair, he still had brown eyes; but what did that prove these days?  
  
"I hate to break this up, but I need you to put this on," said Emma, standing beside Piper-Lee holding what looked like a piece of plastic. Brennan nodded so Piper-Lee guessed it was okay and nodded her own consent. The woman moved a little closer, "When this touches you're not going to be able to see anything until one of us takes it off at Sanctuary, okay?"  
  
" 'Kay." She didn't like the sound of that –blind with people she didn't know or barely knew, but she sat still regardless as the blackness swooped over her eyesight like a vulture at a dead animal, she tensed but a hand on her shoulder relaxed her just as quickly. Trying to sound casual and keep up a conversation in the heavy silence Piper-Lee asked a question,  
  
"Sanctuary? I've heard of that,"  
  
"Really? Nothing but good things I hope," said another female voice, which, Piper-Lee figured, must belong to the blonde woman.  
  
"Pretty much, so, if you're taking me to this Sanctuary place, that would make you the Mutant X guys?"  
  
"Yep, that's us." Said Brennan,  
  
"Great, so, why are you taking me there?" she asked  
  
"Ever heard of Genomex or GS Agents?" Brennan responded, Piper-Lee hadn't so she shook her head negative, "They're the bad-guys basically, they hunt down New Mutants and put them in stasis for 'future observation', but a few go to Genomex on their own because they think it's the right thing to do."  
  
"Ah, right, would those eight people who knocked out my instructor be GS Agents?"  
  
"They would." Brennan confirmed  
  
"Great, and why the hell are they after me?"  
  
"Watch your language," Brennan said automatically, earning himself another confused look from his teammates, "We don't know, but Adam is gonna try and find out."  
  
Ten minutes later the jet pulled smoothly into the port and Piper-Lee felt someone take her arm and guide her down a ramp and forward.  
  
"This is Sanctuary," said Emma, as Brennan peeled of the plastic, Piper-Lee blinked and her vision returned,  
  
"Whoah, Awesome!" she looked around, they had computers all around, a waterfall somewhere by the sounds of it, staircases leading upwards but with apparently nothing holding them up, "So this is where you guys hang out?"  
  
"Yep, by the way, I'm Shalimar, " said Shalimar, "That's Emma, the doofus here is Jesse and the idiot behind you is, as you already seem to know, Brennan."  
  
"Right, and you already seem to know my name is Piper-Lee, but if you ever call me that I'll have to kill you, just call me Piper or Lee, just, please not both."  
  
Jesse smiled, and turned round to see Adam coming down a set of steps, "And this is Adam; he's the leader of Mutant X."  
  
Adam smiled at the Piper-Lee, noting everything into his memory; she barely came up to Brennan's' shoulder but there was a certain likeness between them that he couldn't put his finger on, something that went deeper than the similar looks of dark brown eyes and hair. Instead of dwelling on it, Adam moved on and took in her appearance; she wore her hair in a plait that reached to her mid-back and her clothes were in the form of a karate-kit, a brown belt tied around her waist.  
  
"Hello," he greeted, and to the others, "Did it go okay?"  
  
"Fine, up until the point where eight GS Agents smashed into the studio and chased us until we lost them." Said Shalimar, a trace of a grin on her face as she remembered the run.  
  
"Studio?"  
  
"I was in Judo." supplied Piper-Lee,  
  
"That would explain the kit then, how long have you been taking it?"  
  
" 'bout four years, so, what do you guys do here? Stand around talking all day?"  
  
"No, we sit for that; I'd like to run a scan on your DNA if that's okay." Said Adam  
  
"Why'd ya need to do that? My DNA is fine, just look at me –I'm not falling apart," Piper-Lee took a half-step back from the group,  
  
"It won't hurt Piper-Lee," said Brennan, "It barely tingles."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
Brennan smirked, "Just go with Adam, trust me –it doesn't hurt at all."  
  
"Yeah right, me? Trust you?" Piper-Lee stared at Brennan in astonishment, there was no way she was going to trust him, instead she looked back to Adam, a frown set firmly in place, "What would you do?"  
  
For a brief second Adam gazed at the girl, then Brennan, and finally to Emma who was looking at the afore mentioned pair, "It's just a scan –no needles, no prods; a yellow beam will go down your body, then up and then its all over."  
  
"Sure?"  
  
"It's actually kinda fun," said Shalimar, a glint in her eyes,  
  
"Yeah but Shal, you love that kinda stuff; anything that'll 'get you in touch with your feral side'," Jesse said, smirking at his friend.  
  
The frown on Piper-Lee's face deepened for a brief second and Adam thought she was going to refuse, but she nodded her head positive, "Lead the way."  
  
"Alright, follow me." Adam led her off to the lab, leaving Emma, Shalimar and Jesse to get some answers from Brennan.  
  
"So, are you gonna tell us what's going on? Or does Emma have to read you?" Shalimar stepped towards Brennan with her hands on her hips. Brennan, for the first time that any of them could remember, looked uncomfortable.  
  
"What I want to know is how she knew your name." Said Jesse, leaning against a wall.  
  
Brennan swallowed, problem. To tell, or to not tell; that is the question. But Brennan knew another one was keeping his mouth shut as well; what would they think of the truth?  
  
*  
  
Post Authors Note: Ahhh, so what's the big secret? Well I'm not gonna TELL you am I? Otherwise you wouldn't read this and THAT just defeats the –whole- object of me writing this, doesn't it? Now, the secret should come out either next chapter or the one after that… it depends how my writers block goes and what new inspiration comes from my muses (I have LOTS). The next chapter will come…. When it does; it depends on my homework. Yet again I love all kinds of reviews except Flames; any that I get will be used to light the fire beneath the Mason Eckharts arse. 


	4. Chapter Four

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: see first chapter.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: Yay, more reviews! A BIG thank you to Penny, Sovrin and Maggie ()!  
  
Anyway, writers block at full peak now –I couldn't even do my English work, but I'm not gonna give in to it so I'm going to do as much as possible until it gets the idea and leaves. Oh yeah, does anyone actually know how old Brennan is? I'm guessing late twenties-ish. Twenty-eight?  
  
Another short chapter –blame school and writers block.  
  
*  
  
"Are you going to stare at nothing all day or tell us?" Emma pushed, the panic that she had sensed from him before was increasing, "Why is it such a secret anyway?"  
  
Brennan blinked and re-focused his eyes from where they had been glimpsing at the Past, "Why's it such a big deal for you guys?" he retorted, they wouldn't like the truth he had decided.  
  
"It's not –you're making it one." Stated Shalimar,  
  
"Then you don't have to ask all these question; there's nothing going on and she probably heard as talking or something and heard my name mentioned."  
  
"You're lying Brennan" Emma looked him in the eyes, "And you know it. Why won't you tell us anything?"  
  
Brennan shifted on the spot, they would hate the truth, he reminded himself, and they'd hate me for what I did; there's no way they can find out. "There's nothing to tell." He walked off, leaving the remainder of Mutant X confused.  
  
"Okay, what's up with him?" Shalimar asked the air,  
  
"Got me." Jesse answered, but Emma was still looking at where Brennan had been standing, "Hey Emma? Do you know something we don't?"  
  
She broke off her train of thought; there was only one way to find out and they'd have to be careful if Brennan were not to find out, "I think they're related, but we'll need to go to the lab to find out."  
  
"Yeah, so how did you figure that out?" Shalimar had another mischievous hint on her face,  
  
"Brennan wasn't worried about anything before Adam came in, but when he told us about Piper it started coming off him in waves. And then there's the fact that he knew how old she is and he lied about luck, the fact that he knew she was at the martial arts place, like it was one of her haunts of something. When she recognised him she wanted to trust him, but she won't for some reason and Brennan… I didn't even need to scan him, I just got flashes of things -"  
  
"What kind of things?" interrupted Jesse,  
  
"I'm not sure," she continued, "images, emotions all jumbled up and then it was gone and he was almost back to normal; the list goes on. It would just make sense."  
  
"Alright; so we ask Adam to compare their DNA?" Shalimar suggested,  
  
"That should do it."  
  
"Question: how are we gonna do that without Brennan or Piper finding out? I mean, Adam is with Piper in the lab now so we can't just go in and ask." Said Jesse.  
  
Emma frowned, he had a point, "Can you bring up Brennans files from any point in here?"  
  
Jesse nodded, not quite sure where she was goin with it, "I think so,"  
  
"Well when Adam's done with Piper we can find a terminal and bring up both their files –nobody will be any the wiser."  
  
Shalimar grinned, "I've never seen this side of you before Emma, let it out more often. The data should be all up in a couple of hours, meet back here then."  
  
Emma smiled back and they went off to wile away the time.  
  
  
  
**  
  
Post Authors Note: Once again –big apology for the extreme short-ness, keep your guesses coming **grins evilly** you'll find out for definite in the next chapter who Piper is, then we should get down to some fun stuff (so sue me, I was bought up with Bruce Willis and Arnold Swarchinnneger (not a clue how to spell it). 


	5. Chapter Five, but its really another bit...

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: see first chapter.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: for the record, I know just about NOTHING about DNA, or how you compare samples. Do just bare with me okay? If its totally out, please mail me (the address is in my profile) or say so in the review and I will try to change the facts for you all. Also, I have no clue what that plastic thing they put on everyone is called, so I've called it a Blinder.  
  
Big Thank You's To: Ms. Perception, Liz, Casey, Inuit, DaMadFish and sjaraven.  
  
*  
  
Two hours later the conspirators re-grouped, having made sure that Adam knew to keep Brennan busy with something and Piper was practising her Kata somewhere after insisting that she really did need to practise.  
  
"Can't you compare them any faster?" Jesse complained as Shalimar bought up the files in question and set the computer on the task of comparing the DNA.  
  
"I won't dignify that with an answer Jess." She responded; he knew as well as everybody else that this computer was something like 10 years ahead of the curve.  
  
For five agonising minutes the 3/5 of Mutant X stood or leaned in silence, waiting for the computer to finish its work. Shalimar looked at the screen, silently willing it to go faster. Then, as if it was responding to her plea, it beeped and the conclusion came up.  
  
"She's his sister." Shalimar said after a few moments.  
  
"Why couldn't he tell us?" Emma asked,  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Well why don't we go ask them?" suggested Jesse, "Right after we tell Adam of course."  
  
Still sifting through the remnants of shock they made their way to the lab, after promptly closing the terminal.  
  
"Adam!" Shalimar called as they entered the lab, upon hearing them come in he turned round, "We found out what's up between Brennan and Piper."  
  
"And?"  
  
"She's his sister, look," Shalimar went over to the nearest screen and bought up the file.  
  
"Yeah, I'd say that too. So now the question is why didn't Brennan tell us?"  
  
"And why Piper wants to trust him but won't." Emma added, earning herself a questioning look from Adam, as he hadn't been there when she had told the others. "That was what she was feeling when I put the Blinder on, Brennan nodded to her but she wasn't quite decided on what to do."  
  
"Alright, well lets go ask him what's going on."  
  
*  
  
Brennan stood in the shadows watching Piper-Lee practise her Kata; how she held her stance, perfected her motions and didn't go back when she made a mistake, merely frowned at herself and carried on. She'd grown up a lot since the last time he'd seen her three years ago, and then he had stood in the shadows watching her like he did now. Not letting her see him. No, the last time she had seen him, spoken to him, realised it was him, had been the day he left, seven years ago.  
  
She had been seven years old, he'd been 21 and living away from home and her dad had been his usual bastard self; beating their mother. Again. Accept this time he'd been home to see it. He'd fried that bastard within an inch of his life. Then realised what he's done.  
  
He'd shown his mother, his mother who was xenophobic. Which, under that roof, meant you were a lower being and evil, basically.  
  
She'd never thanked him, only told him to leave. So he'd gone into Piper- Lee's room, made sure she was still sleeping, said good-bye, and left.  
  
No wonder she didn't trust him, who would after leaving without a note?  
  
But the inevitable was going to crash down on him, and Piper-Lee, soon. The others would find out, questions would be asked, and he'd have to re-live everything all over again.  
  
  
  
  
  
Post A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long to get up! Its not really a new chapter, more like where chap 5 should have finished. So when I get the real next chapter up I'll add this one onto the other one…. Get it?  
  
Post Post A/N: REVIEW! 


	6. Chapter Six

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: see first chapter.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: I know, I know! I take to long to get up new chapters!  
  
Big Thank You's To: Ms. Perception and Liz  
  
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*  
  
Sighing, Brennan moved away from his hidden watch-point and walked away silently, intending to have a long and serious rethink about this new predicament and he would have succeeded in doing so if he had not bumped into Adam and the rest of Mutant X.  
  
"Brennan, we need to talk." Said Adam,  
  
"What's there to talk about? Because if this is about me knowing Piper- Lee's age I told the rest already, it was just luck!" exclaimed Brennan.  
  
Adam studied the younger man, he had over-reacted slightly and his stance and tone of voice was defensive. Emma had been right earlier and what they had uncovered minutes previously only served to back up the way Brennan was acting now. It was time to make him face facts, even if Brennan didn't want to.  
  
"Well if that's so we have something you might want to know."  
  
Brennan tried to force down the lump that had lodged in his throat, what did they know?  
  
Emma took a step forward, "She's your sister,"  
  
Ah, problem. Brennan took a step back from his teammates, how had they found out?  
  
Emma continued in a softer voice as she felt him panicking again, "Why didn't you tell us Brennan? What did you think was going to happen?"  
  
Brennan looked at his friends, for they were his friends and he knew it, he looked into their eyes and found himself confused. There was no anger there, no contempt, no dislike, just concern and questions. What had he thought was going to happen?  
  
"I dunno," he said, "I didn't know what you'd think, I mean I never told anyone and I'm bettin' she told no-one either, and she's a new mutant and if the GSA ever found out I have a sister they might get to her or try to get her on their side or -"  
  
Shalimar watched Brennan from beside Adam, there was more to what her was saying, "Brennan?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Quit it and tell us why."  
  
"Yeah Brennan, tell us all why." Piper-Lee had appeared behind Jesse, startling everybody.  
  
"Uhh, Pip, well, y'see, and then, yeah and, phew is it hot in here?" Brennan took a deep breath and tried to ignore the stares he knew were being directed at him. How often was he at a loss for words? How often did he stammer? Never, well, accept for now. "Remember that last night I came? When I got in Aidan was already back from the pub and way drunker than hell and he and mom where havin' another stupid fight because she hadn't bought enough Whiskey and then, then he hit her as I came in, and then he hit her again. So I err, I fried him without thinking, I shoulda killed him, but I didn't, just shocked him into unconsciousness. Big mistake, huh?"  
  
"Ya, you flickin' idiot comes to mind!" Piper agreed,  
  
At the others questioning looks Brennan continued, slightly encouraged by the lack of outbursts and judgements, "our mom's kinda xenophobic, make that very. And she kinda didn't know that I was a new mutant, so when I fried her new husband, she wasn't too pleased. She told me to get out of her apartment, or words to that effect anyway."  
  
"Why didn't you say goodbye?" Piper-Lee was standing before him now, he wished she wouldn't look at him like that,  
  
"I did, you were asleep which was probably a good thing."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Emma stepped back, the panic had all but gone and was being replaced with something else, while Piper seemed to be forgiving him for something she thought he had done. This was a family moment they did not need to be part of.  
  
Motioning for the others to follow they left Brennan and Piper to their own 're-union'.  
  
"So I know you're a water elemental, did mom find out? And what kinda stuff can ya do?"  
  
"I dunno if she ever found out or not –I left about a month ago. She's had about 3 more husbands and 9 more boyfriends since Aidan and I was just getting really tired of my mom having more boyfriends than me."  
  
Brennan frowned, great, my mom is a – he couldn't even think it.  
  
"And I can do water-style stuff." She smirked  
  
"Uh huh, like water-style stuff, control water, make water… what?"  
  
"Make water deal I think, but if I make water I can make it like go from A to B sort of thing, as long as it isn't very far."  
  
"Cool, we're total opposites ya know? I'm a electric elemental and you're a water elemental."  
  
"Dude!"  
  
Brennan grinned, he'd forgotten how nice it was just to talk to a family member, "Yeah, so don't soak me in water aiight?"  
  
She gave him an identical one back, "I can't make any promises 'bout that Brennan."  
  
"Right, I just got one more question, what's with all the martial arts?"  
  
"Well why did you take so many?" she retorted,  
  
"Cause I wanted too, they're fun… and that's why you do it?"  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
Brennan ruffled her hair, or tried to as it went past her shoulders, "Where were ya staying then? Maybe we could go get you some clothes other than your uniform."  
  
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Post A/N: The, the the the that's all folks! Tune in next time, same place, same title. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I only got 2 last time, and that doesn't exactly encourage me to write faster. SO, you want more quicker? Look at it like this,  
  
More Reviews = Less time between chapters! ]:P 


	7. Chapter Seven. Is this gonna be the end?...

Author: Lani (lucysmeth@aol.com)  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: see first chapter.  
  
Summary: A blast from Brennans past comes back with a history. Please read and review.  
  
Title: Opposite sides of the fence (will change as soon as I can think of a better one)  
  
Authors Note: Oooo, I'm going into Shalimar's head for the first ickle bit, he he hee. No romance though, at least, not yet anyway :O  
  
Big Thank You's To: sjaraven  
  
Btw ** = change of scene/pov  
  
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Shalimar watched Brennan and Piper getting re-acquainted, they both had exactly the same smile she mused absently. She still didn't understand why Brennan hadn't told them and then proceeded to deny knowing anything –it wasn't like he'd done anything wrong when he'd left. He'd had no choice and from the sounds of it, there hadn't been any room for argument.  
  
But that was Brennan for you. Never tells anyone anything too personal.  
  
According to Emma, when she and Jesse had been trapped in sleep, Brennan hadn't wanted to tell Adam what his worst fear was! So, okay she could understand not wanting to spread it around, but in that situation it could have, no, was very important! Silly man.  
  
She smiled faintly as he ruffled her hair; it looked so natural she couldn't believe they'd been apart for, what was it? Six, seven years?  
  
"Penny for your thoughts." It was Jesse; she turned round to face her blonde haired friend,  
  
"Is that all their worth?" she smiled,  
  
"Depends, what're ya thinking about?" Jesse sat down next to her with a lop- sided grin.  
  
"Those two," she gestured to Brennan and Piper-Lee, "I don't get why Brennan wouldn't tell us that she was his sister, Jess."  
  
"Yeah, well that's Brennan for ya. It probably made sense in his head," the younger man paused, "Or maybe he didn't want anyone to get hurt, like he said; if the GSA found out he had a sister they might use her for their own uses."  
  
"You're right I guess,"  
  
"Shal. I'm always right."  
  
Shalimar swatted Jesse's arm, "Except when you're wrong,"  
  
"Sure Shal, hey, where'd they go?"  
  
While they'd been talking Brennan and Piper-Lee had walked off.  
  
"I dunno, but lets go find Emma."  
  
**  
  
"Hey Adam!" Brennan called, "Pip and me are gonna go get her clothes from the place she's stayin, okay?"  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"Not far from the studio." Piper answered  
  
"Alright, but at least take one of the others with you. If the GSA knew where you trained then it's a safe bet they know where you live too."  
  
But the pair were already and the only reply he got from Brennan was a,  
  
"I got it, I got it."  
  
thrown over his shoulder.  
  
**  
  
"Which of you guys wants to come with us to Pip's place?" asked Brennan,  
  
They had found the others in the Recreation room, in various states of just 'lounging about' on the sofas while a television played in one corner, although it seemed to hold no interest to any of the occupants of the room.  
  
At the sound of Brennan's voice they looked up, and all immediately agreed to go with them.  
  
"So ya'll that busy here at Mutant X, that you're jumpin' at the chance to come get some clothes?" Piper stood back in astonishment.  
  
Jesse smirked, "Cool job huh?"  
  
"Well I guess you might as well all come, if that's all right with you Pip?" said Brennan,  
  
"Sure. I'll be able to get to know all of your friends then… and dig up any of your dirty secrets to blackmail you with." Piper grinned at her own comments.  
  
"Alright, let's get going then, c'mon, we can take the Helix."  
  
Mutant X and Piper left for her 'place' exchanging jokes and jibes, and carried on doing so until they found a suitable place to land and cloak the Double Helix –on top of the apartment building Piper was staying in.  
  
On the fourth floor  
  
"Aiight, welcome to my humble abode," Piper twisted a key in the lock and pushed the door open to reveal a very messy apartment.  
  
"You're fourteen and have you own apartment?" Emma said disbelievingly,  
  
"Err no –I share this with a few other people…. Mel who's at work and Connie who's supposed to be at work but is probably at her boyfriends. Jeez I'm only 14, I can only work for like four hours a week even if somebody did employ me."  
  
"Right, we might wanna hurry this up –we still don't know if Eckhart and his buddies know you're stayin' here." Shalimar cautioned as she peeked into the bathroom.  
  
"Kay." Piper-Lee disappeared into another box-room and ten minutes later, after a lot of shuffling and bumping about she re-appeared with a holdall and a rucksack and in a new change of clothes, namely a scruffy pair of jeans that had been ripped and torn to the point of stupidity, a t-shirt and a baseball cap.  
  
"Ready?" asked Brennan,  
  
"Um, I wrote a note for Mel and Connie so they don't get worried or anything. I got my stuff. Got my license… yeah I'm ready."  
  
"Great, let's get going before our luck runs out." Brennan ushered Piper- Lee out behind Jesse, Emma and Shalimar after she had placed the note and her key on a tabletop.  
  
Back in the Double-Helix Piper sat down heavily and sighed. She was probably never going to see Mel and Connie ever again, they had been really nice to her and she had left without saying goodbye, like she thought Brennan had. And now she had to start a whole other life all over again, with more complications than before, what with having a brother again and now her powers getting more weird more often, and if Brennan and his friends found that out Gawd knows what would happen then. Piper smiled to herself, there was an upside to all of this, she had her big brother back.  
  
Finis? You decide.  
  
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Post Authors Note: Ha! I got the next chapter out less than a month after the last chapter! Yay me! REVIEW! Nobody's reviewing! 


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